Hooksett eyeing short-term high school solution

By RYAN O'CONNORUnion Leader Correspondent

HOOKSETT — As Hooksett School Board members continue to explore options for Hooksett’s long-term high school future, they’ve agreed to seek short-term solutions with both the Manchester School District and Pinkerton Academy.

Shortly after voters rejected a 10-year pact with Pinkerton at the March school district elections, Superintendent Charles Littlefield was directed by board members to reach out to Pinkerton officials to determine if they’d be amenable to extending the one-year tuition agreement for 2014-15 to current seventh graders as well. Littlefield said both sides recently met to begin negotiating a potential one-year extension to the current deal.

“We’ve had an initial meeting with Pinkerton and have planned a subsequent meeting with them, as well as a similar meeting with Manchester to come in the near future,” said Littlefield. “Right now, it’s very early. We’re not in long-term discussions with anybody, but it appears both Manchester and Pinkerton may be agreeable to (shorter options) for the time being.”

The school board has also reached out to Manchester Superintendent Debra Livingston for an update on Queen City schools, according to school board member John Lyscars.

The board’s next meeting is this coming Tuesday, and a special meeting has been scheduled for June 24.

“It’s dedicated just for high school discussion,” said Littlefield. “There’s still a lot of work to be done in the development of a high school plan, but they are also dealing with other business as well ... so the board felt it would be appropriate to schedule this special meeting with the sole focus on high school discussion as we continue through this process.”